


You Can Run From The Truth (But It Will Always Find You)

by ziamxo



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Drabble, Fluffy, M/M, Solo!Liam, little angsty, solo!Zayn, the usual, you know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 09:58:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4915120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ziamxo/pseuds/ziamxo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam and Zayn are reunited for the first time in ages since the bands break-up.<br/>Except, things are different now, seeing as they're now both solo artists...</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can Run From The Truth (But It Will Always Find You)

**Author's Note:**

> So, I haven't posted anything in ages and it's more than pathetic so I'm just moving a little prompt I was asked on Tumblr to fulfill over here, y'know, for my future references. Hope you enjoy, even if it's just a tiny fraction, though! :)

Liam’s hands are clammy. 

He’s not used to this. 

He’s not used to being sat around all these celebrities  _without_ his mates.

He’s not used to not being able to have Louis turn to him and make a silly comment about how he hopes Liam trips going up the stairs if they win their nomination. 

Or how he has to turn to Niall and rest a hand on his knee, squeeze it a bit, and tell Niall that they’re going to be  _fine._ Win or lose, they’ve still got eachother. 

Or how he’ll turn away from Harry whose talking to the people around him with the dorkiest jokes that people laugh at because they’re simply  _that_ bad.

Or even Zayn. 

Zayn, who he’d carefully (and stealthily) move seats for just to be sat right next to. Zayn, who Liam could whisper to about how he nearly fainted after Justin Timberlake came up and said hello to them. Or even how Zayn’s warmth felt against his as their shoulders pressed up against one another so naturally. 

He’s (despite the amount of time it’s been) still definitely not used to being nominated for his music without any of them.

Liam had heard about Zayn’s R&B nomination for his newest single,  _Take It Back,_ and while Liam had no shame in publicly supporting Zayn through twitter or any outlet that would listen to Liam’s voice, it was unsettling that the nerves were getting the better of him.

Zayn was  _here._ Somewhere within this same room. 

Liam just didn’t know  _where._

So, yeah, maybe he looks like a proper mess looking around Staples Center whenever the lights go on. He even takes two proper bathroom breaks during commercial breaks in hopes that  _maybe,_ just maybe, he’ll at least get to see Zayn from afar. 

It doesn’t happen, though.

At least not until Zayn’s name comes up on the big screens followed with four other nominees. Zayn looks absolutely breathtaking (when does he ever not?) in his fitting suit and softly gelled hair and Liam doesn’t realize that, as cliché as it may have had been, he had held his breath for the moment of truth.

Liam’s lips pull down into a frown and his eyebrows furrow. 

He didn’t get it.

Zayn didn’t win the Grammy. 

Still, Zayn smiles and claps politely, even so much as cupping around his mouth with his hands and wooing to the winner.

It forces Liam into smiling because Zayn’s always been such a good sport, regardless of the situation. 

Still, the Zayn-Stan in him can’t help but chant in his head  _he should’ve won! He should’ve won!_

But he didn’t and there’s no way of Liam to reach for him and tell Zayn what’s on his mind, or to put a genuine smile on his face, or make him laugh.

Liam inhales a breath and continues to listen to the winner of the nomination go on with their speech.

At least he now knew where Zayn was sitting.

-o-

As the night slowly proceeds to its final nominations, Liam knows exactly the moment when the second to last nomination is up. He’s watched 7+ years of the Grammy’s to have this information locked.

When the song of the year nominations ( _finally_ ) start up, Liam is quick to sit up straight, a humbled yet nervous smile comes on his face when the camera pans in on his face, listing him on the big screens alongside the other four nominees as well. Paddy’s sat next to him so at least he’s got him for moral support and he feels that when he turns and sees Paddy’s index and middle finger crossed over. It forces a smile onto Liam’s face.

Still, Liam’s hands are clammy as they rest against his thighs.

The moment of truth comes and…

Liam smiles gratefully, hands clapping politely as he watches one of the other artists nominated take the Grammy.

She deserved it. She really, really, did and Liam is no fool to be unaware of it.

He’s beyond honored to have had even gotten this far, and, well. There would always be next year, right? 

This wasn’t the end. 

Still. It didn’t mean that it didn’t suck any less, though.

-o-

After-parties have always been one of Liam’s favorite things. Especially when they’re big like the ones the Grammy’s host. Not only are they big and extravagant, but they’re also a lot of fun. Artists of all kinds come together and share a stage with no judgement, no criticism, as they share their music among other artists. It’s refreshing, to say the least.

Liam’s just finished his second glass of champagne for the night and he might just be calling it quits for now. He’s been having such a good time, exchanging numbers with other artists and producers for possible future collaborations and Liam is honestly just loving every second of it except, as always, there comes a time where Liam just wants to go to the quietness of his room and sleep in an unfamiliar bed to rest his tired eyes. That and he’s been starving for the past couple of hours.The small portions of food being given out are not doing much for Liam’s appetite.

He takes a step back after setting his glass on a passing waiters tray and is immediately started, quick to apologize before he takes account of the face.

Liam may as well have had seen a ghost.

Liam’s hands are clammy but this time for a completely different reason other than having a nomination on his own.

“It’s okay, Lee.”

Liam feels this pressure within his chest, this aching, suppressed feeling that he can’t necessarily describe. It makes Liam want to reach forward and touch him, but he doesn’t.

“I—sorry, again, Zayn. Didn’t see you there.”

Zayn chuckles quietly with a shake of his head. “I already told ya, mate. It’s cool.”

Liam lips his dry lips and he’s not sure what he’s supposed to say now except for shake his head and accept it, but. His brain is a mess and he’s thinking too hard and Zayn must realize this because he hardly misses a beat before going on.

“Hey, ‘m sorry you didn’t get the Grammy, mate.” Zayn leans forward some, closer to Liam’s ear and Liam freezes. “Between you and I, I was rooting for you.” And just like that, Zayn returns to his space with a careful grin on his face.

Liam forces a light laugh without meaning to but he’s  _got_ to stop acting so.. so  _weird_ around Zayn. It’s—it’s just Zayn, right? Like. Zayn, the mate he was in a band with for almost five years. Zayn, who stayed up with Liam until the AM’s to write music. Zayn who was always there whenever Liam needed him.  _Liam’s_ Zayn.

“I, uh.” He says, swallowing his saliva and mindfully wishing he hadn’t reached for another glass of champagne. “Sorry, it was just really hot in here.” He explains, thinking of the crowd-filled room further into the building. “Um. But yeah, thank you, Zayn. Really. I was rooting for you too.” He admits as he speaks quickly out of nerves with a soft smile, a hand going to the nape of his neck and rubbing at it.

Liam sees the way that Zayn frowns but quickly catches himself, pulling a smile instead. “Thank you, Liam. I really appreciate that as well.”

“Maybe..” Liam starts up, simply deciding to not overthink himself because it was  _Zayn._ He had to let go of these nerves. Had to move past them like he had after the first time he and Zayn had kissed accidentally.

He just had to get over it and move on, yeah?

Or something along those lines.

“Maybe we should collaborate on something and blow the shoes off of people. Maybe that’s the secret formula to a winning hit. Two losing nominees for one Grammy.”

Zayn’s eyes shine, or maybe Liam’s just imagining it, but there’s this warmth that Liam had long ached for seeing. It had been so long.

“Think you just discovered the biggest secret in the music industry. Would you actually be up for a collab?” Zayn asks and Liam actually hates how unsure Zayn’s tone comes off as.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Liam asks, a far more relaxed smile coming onto his face. “You and I always did have the greatest of times back then in the studio, didn’t we?” He states with that same need to reach out and touch Zayn.

Again, he refrains from it.

“Yeah, we always did.” Zayn agrees with a grin, tilting his head some. This time it’s Zayn that licks his lips, smile fading, and Liam can tell the moment his chest rises and falls heavily due to the fitting suit. “Is it wrong of me to say that I’ve missed you?” He asks, eyes falling to face his shoes for a moment as he scratches his clean-shaved beard before staring back at Liam with those conflicted hazel eyes.

“What?” Liam asks with knitted eyebrows as he shakes his head. “No, no of course not, Zayn. I’ve—well—I’ve missed you too. Things stopped being the same after you were gone.”

Zayn looks a bit in distress and Liam absolutely hates it.

He stops being so cautious with that need to touch him, simply wanting to comfort Zayn, so it’s no surprise when Liam’s arms wrap around Zayn’s torso. Zayn doesn’t stray behind as he reciprocates the hug and _squeezes,_ with Liam feeling the hook of Zayn’s chin against his shoulder.

They stay like that for a moment before they’re both startled by Liam’s rumbling stomach between the two.

“Sorry. I’ve hardly ate anything today due to nerves.” Liam says bashfully as they part from the hug.

Zayn seems far too endeared as he laughs. “Don’t apologize. Happens to all of us. Besides, I understand that. I haven’t eaten much either. Do you, maybe, wanna get out of here? Catch some grub before the night ends?”

“Yeah,” Liam agrees says with laughter, “I’m totally down for that. Let’s go. Let me just give Paddy a call first.”

-o-

“That is  _not_ how it happened and you know it!”

“Zayn, stop lying. I’ve got pictures somewhere on me first iPhone. You definitely drooled whilst you were sleeping on me shoulder.” Liam says before picking up his drink and finishing the last of it, crinkling all of the In-N-Out trash sprawled on the bed and placing it all into the take out bag.

“That’s an absolute lie! I won’t believe that shit until I see it with my own eyes.” Zayn tuts back, pushing at Liam’s shoulders and forcing the unprepared male to wobble over just enough on the bed.

“Alright,” Liam says with a shrug to his shoulders as he stands to throw the trash into the nearest trash can which happens to be the one in the bathroom. “You can run from the truth but it will always find _you_.” Liam sings, the echo providing a nice, simple little reverb to his voice.

Zayn’s ears perk up and he’s staring wide eyed at Liam as he comes out of the bathroom.

Liam halts in his steps, looking around himself before speaking out. “What?”

“Liam." Zayn starts, tone dead serious, "Go back into the bathroom and sing that again the exact same way... I think you may be onto something."


End file.
